Nigel Owens MBE is the 2019 Nos Galan Road Races Mystery Runner

  • Wales

World-acclaimed Rugby Union referee Nigel Owens MBE was the 2019 Nos Galan Road Races Mystery Runner taking part in the 61st annual race.

The Nos Galan Road Races started in 1958 to celebrate the life and achievements of 18th century Welsh runner Guto Nyth Brân.

Over the years the race has had various formats and originally took place at midnight, but the current race is held in the evening of New Year's Eve and takes in three circuits of Mountain Ash, starting in Henry Street and ending in Oxford Street by the Guto Nyth Brân statue.

Nigel Owns carried the iconic Nos Galan torch from St Gwynno's Church, Llanwonno, into Mountain Ash, officially starting the New Year's Eve extravaganza.

Nigel Owens was awarded an MBE in 2016 Credit: PA Images
Nos Galan race in 2019 had 1,700 participants Credit: Nos Galan

Previous Mystery Runners include Welsh international players Sam Warburton, Adam Jones, Alun Wyn Jones, Shane Williams, James Hook and Jamie Roberts.

Last year there were around 12,000 spectators at the event and over 1,700 ran the race.